Storefront and curtain wall constructions are known which employ a snap-on cover member to maintain glazing panels in place. Such wall constructions typically comprise a frame member having a channel formed on its front face and glazing recesses defined on either side thereof. A glazing clip, usually comprised of a thermally insulating material, engages the channel in the front face of the frame member and projects outwardly therefrom. The snap-on cover member includes an inwardly projecting flange which couples to the glazing clip to fasten the cover member to the frame member. Glazing gaskets disposed along the rear edges of the cover member engage marginal portions of the outer surface of the corresponding glazing panels to maintain the glazing panels in place within their respective glazing recesses.
While such wall constructions are generally easy to erect, there exists a problem during assembly with respect to how to retain the glazing panels in place prior to installation of the snap-on cover member. Since a number of glazing panels are typically placed in position before the snap-on cover members are installed, a means must be provided to temporarily retain the glazing panels within their respective glazing recesses until such time as it is appropriate to install the cover members.
Prior art construction procedures generally call for pressure plates to be screwed into the front face of the frame member at spaced intervals to maintain the glazing panels in place prior to the cover members being installed. However, this procedure suffers certain disadvantages. First, the step of attaching the pressure plates to the frame members is time consuming, as it requires driving a screw through the pressure plate and into the face of the frame member. Further, when it is time to mount the cover members, the pressure plates must be removed.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method for temporarily retaining glazing panels within their respective glazing pockets until such time as it is appropriate to install the cover members which does not require screwing a pressure plate into the front face of the underlying framing member.
There is a further need for an apparatus and method temporarily retaining glazing panels which does not require the step of removing the retaining apparatus prior to installing the snap-on cover member.